News Release

Analyst Blasts U.S. Negotiator at Climate Talks: Warns of “Eco-Apartheid”

December 6, 2011

MICHAEL DORSEY, michael.dorsey at dartmouth.edu,
“The arrival of lead U.S. negotiator for the United States, Todd Stern, in Durban South Africa spells doom for Africa and the planet,” said Dartmouth College Professor Michael Dorsey, after leaving a closed briefing with U.S. Special Envoy for Climate Change Stern and the U.S. Deputy Special Envoy for Climate Change Johnathan Pershing.

“The lack of any form of visionary leadership on display was startling.” added Dorsey. “The U.S. government is no longer committed to doing just nothing. Worse than nothing, the U.S. plans to assess its performance in 2015 and maybe consider action in 2020. Such diplomatic delays are a deadly formula that will drive the displacement, wreak havoc, especially on African and other marginalized livelihoods globally. The UN’s latest estimate is that more than 150 million people could become early climate refugees. These people will be early victims of worsening and unfolding climate chaos if countries wait to consider to act until 2015.

“Because of the U.S.’s expressed commitment to delays, the world may indeed see the Durban Climate Summit as the place where a new form of climate injustice and apartheid began: Eco-apartheid against those on the margins of society and ecosystems.”

PATRICK BOND, pbond at mail.ngo.za
Professor at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, Bond is author and editor of the just-released books Politics of Climate Justice and Durban’s Climate Gamble. Bond recently co-wrote the piece “Climate Cash Deals are Killing Us” with Dorsey.